PE> REASON for these do-your-own nets to start up.  Fidonet is 
PE> absolutely adequate.  Any echo being carried by another-net 
PE> could be just as easily carried by the same people within 
PE> fidonet.

AWL> P4:
AWL> - require legal/technical responsibility for all messages

So?

AWL> - bans echo of encrypted messages (through normal channels)

Only via netmail.  Use echomail, which is what we were discussing.

AWL> - requires ZMH mailer

Yes, this requires people to be more technically serious.  Just
become a point if you don't like that.  So what?

AWL> Fido-in-general
AWL> - nets defined geographically

Big whoop.

AWL> There are a few largish ones, PODS AmigaNet etc, but they 
AWL> have nothing like the coverage of FidoNet... So Rod's go 
AWL> start your own line fall flat...

PE> He was talking about starting your own fidonetinternet 
PE> gateway if you don't like the way Michael is operating his.  

AWL> He was talking about setting up an OtherNet so I could have rules like 
AWL> nodenumber=phonenumber and no ZMH etc...

So, why don't you start up your own wanknet then if you hate
fidonet so much.  All the people who agree that fidonet's
rules are bad will be rushing in droves to your new net.

PE> You can do this, in fact Michael publicly asked for anyone 
PE> in the entire Zone 3 to take over, because he is dropping 
PE> it.  Now's your big chance, because there are ZERO 
PE> competitors.  It will only cost you a few $K per year, and 
PE> if you can afford to blow it on lawsuits, you can afford to 
PE> spend it on gateways instead.  BFN.  Paul.

AWL> A gateway that would cost you "a few k a year" would
probably cost me 10 
AWL> times as much. Also that is a recurring cost, our 10k is probably going to 
AWL> be reusable (with a little luck we should get full costs (if not we can 
AWL> survive the experience))

If you're not willing to shell out the $ to run your own gateway,
you've got no right to dictate how others run theirs.  And actually,
I made a mistake, it should only cost about $400/year at present
internet traffic mail rates.  BFN.  Paul.
@EOT:

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